SINGAPORE, 10 May
2022): Thai Vietjet took home the New Airline Award at the Changi
Airline Awards 2022 hosted by Changi Airport Group in Singapore last week.
Thai Vietjet’s commercial director Pinyot Pibulsonggram received the award that recognised the airline’s commitment to commence flight services to Changi Airport despite COVID-19, highlighting the airline’s contributions toward supporting Singapore’s air hub during the pandemic.
Thai Vietjet’s commercial director Pinyot Pibulsonggram (right) accepts the award at a ceremony at Dusit Thani Laguna, Singapore.
Thai Vietjet commenced the flights to Singapore on 28
April 2022, when travel restrictions in
both countries eased. Initially, the airline offered three flights weekly
between Bangkok and Singapore every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
Services will increase to five flights per week every
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting 2 June 2022, and daily
services by 16 June.
Additionally, the airline will start a direct service
between Phuket and Singapore by June 2022.
The Changi Airport Awards resumed this year after a two-year
hiatus due to the pandemic and took place at Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore.
VIENTIANE, 10 May 2022: Lao PDR reopened the country to
tourists on 9 May following a press briefing that confirmed vaccinated tourists
could enter the country without a pre-flight or on arrival Covid-19 test and
health insurance.
Travellers can enter and leave Lao PDR through all air and
land border checkpoints. They will need to apply for a visa at the nearest Lao
PDR embassy or consulate or apply for an e-Visa online. The exceptions are
nationalities that are eligible for visa-free stays.
However, not all border checkpoints are open on the Thai side when you make the return trip to Thailand. You will need to register on the Thailand Pass https://tp.consular.go.th/ before travelling to Thailand from Laos. Thailand Pass lists the border checkpoints that are applicable. Chiang Rai in the far north bordering both Laos and Myanmar is not on the list, and that is not going to change until the province’s governor gives the all-clear.
All the other Mekong River border checkpoints between Laos
and Northeast Thailand are open for trips to Laos, and travellers can return to
Thailand, but they will need to register online with Thailand Pass.
That is likely to remain the case until late July, when reliable government sources say the Thailand Pass will be phased out. In the meantime, to enter Thailand by air or land, you will need to apply for a Thailand Pass. It requires you to download a clear jpeg image of the relevant passport page, jpeg images of your vaccination certificate and the insurance profile statement showing you have purchased insurance cover of USD10,000. Once you receive a Thailand Pass QR code sent to your email box, you are ready for the border crossing to Thailand.
As for Laos opening up its borders, the KPL Laos News Agency
noted that the government was responding to “positive suggestions from a public
opinion survey and a decline in daily new cases and deaths from Covid-19.”
Deputy Minister and Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Thipphakone Chanthavongsa said Lao citizens, foreign nationals and stateless people 12 and older who do not have valid vaccination certificates must show ATK test results issued within 48 hours before departing from the country of origin.
Travellers with vaccination certificates may enter Lao PDR
without taking a Covid-19 test, either before departing the country of origin
or when arriving in Laos.
There are no stipulations on buying health insurance, but it would be wise to stay on the safe side and buy a policy. Private hospital fees in Laos and Thailand are astronomical. (You will also need insurance when re-entering Thailand).
Laos also warns that foreigners diagnosed with Covid-19 would need to undergo treatment at a state or private hospitals or in-home isolation depending on the Ministry of Health guidelines at their own expense.
KUCHING, Sarawak, 9 May 2022: The upcoming Borneo Jazz festival promises to keep building on the music tourism ecosystem in Miri to elevate the resort city as a cultural and music hub.
Bringing
musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds together to celebrate jazz music and
empower the local community, a new artist residency programme called FAB LAB
will be an intense six-week interactive workshop in Miri for 30 musicians
starting 9 May to 18 June 2022.
The Fab Lab Open Day was held on 8 May at
Tegas Digital Innovation Hub Miri to allow music enthusiasts to meet the two
musicians and also enjoy a preview of what was to come from 9 May to 18 June.
FAB LAB is led by
two international musicians, Chris Stalk, a saxophonist, composer and arranger
from France and Jules Vulzor, a bassist, DJ and performer from Switzerland.
Sarawak Tourism
Board chief executive officer Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said:
“The FAB LAB programme is in line with STB’s goal to promote music tourism
through our iconic music festivals, which includes Borneo Jazz. By embedding a
knowledge-sharing environment, we hope to create a sustainable jazz culture for
our Sarawakian musicians and provide an international platform to increase
their musical growth.”
It is hoped that
the music workshops and masterclasses offered by the FAB LAB will not only
teach confidence in expression but serve to bridge the gap between the age-old
indigenous oral tradition with the contemporary and evolutionary sounds of jazz
and hip-hop.
“I strongly
believe in fostering Jazz ExChange to advocate cultural diplomacy and promote
sustainable growth in the arts within the local community. Borneo Jazz Artist
Residency programme will indeed cultivate the connection between the
international artists with the musicians’ community in Miri, Sarawak,” says
Evelyn Hii, founder of No Black Tie and artistic director of Borneo Jazz
festival.
FAB LAB aims to empower and enliven musicians before the Borneo Jazz festival through four workshops: Music Appreciation – Listen and Make It Your Own; Methodology – How to FEEL Free Playing Music; Sound Engineering- Make It Sound Good!; and Performance Module- Let’s Play.
HONG KONG, 9 May 2022: The Hong Kong Tourism Board held its
annual Tourism Update event online last week and announced a revival plan to
make the city a top-of-mind destination for worldwide travellers when travel
resumes.
With the theme “Together Towards New Horizons”, Tourism Update 2022 attracted 3,200 trade representatives from travel agencies, attractions, hotels, airlines, retailers, restaurants, and meeting and exhibition organizers from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and overseas markets. The HKTB shared insights into the latest tourism trends and its work plan for the coming year.
Hong Kong Tourism Board Chairman Y K Pang (left) and Executive Director Dane Cheng (right) shared the revival plan of HKTB with 3,200 trade representatives, highlighting Hong Kong’s vibrant developments and new experiences.
In his opening remarks, HKTB Chairman Y K Pang focused on Hong Kong’s path to
normality.
“The fifth wave of the pandemic is subsiding,” he said.
“Hong Kong’s daily life and economic activities are now gradually returning to
normal, allowing us to stage large-scale events and prepare to welcome back
visitors.
“Throughout the pandemic, Hong Kong never stopped building
and upgrading its tourism infrastructure. We will see the grand opening of the
Hong Kong Palace Museum this summer, while the third runway at Hong Kong
International Airport is expected to go into service within the next couple of
years. With these new infrastructure elements and the support of the Central
and Hong Kong SAR Governments, Hong Kong’s competitive edge has held firm, and
we can head towards new horizons with confidence.”
In his presentation of the work plan for the coming year,
HKTB executive director Dane Cheng described how the HKTB will focus on Hong
Kong’s profile globally by launching “Hong Kong Summer Treats.” The
campaign will provide a wide range of discounts and promotional offerings and
will begin with “Arts in Hong Kong” – a campaign that supports
international art and cultural events, such as Art Basel, which will return in
a physical format.
When social distancing measures are further relaxed, the
HKTB will arrange more world-class events in phases, including the Hong Kong
Wine & Dine Festival and Hong Kong WinterFest, and give its support to
other high-profile events such as the Hong Kong Sevens.
Cheng stressed the importance of ensuring a recovery at home
in the run-up to the return of worldwide visitors.
“These promotions will generate a positive ambience in Hong
Kong and demonstrate how we have returned to normal. The HKTB will then launch
extensive promotions, including the tactical ‘Open House Hong Kong’ campaign,
to welcome back visitors when the time is right.”
Guest speakers from major organizations also outlined new
developments to enhance Hong Kong’s world-class tourism infrastructure further.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of Hong Kong’s
major arts and cultural projects. Its contemporary art museum M+ opened last
year, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum will welcome its first visitors this
summer. Speaking at the event, West Kowloon Cultural District chief executive
officer Betty Fung said: “As a unique cultural hub with unrivalled
connectivity in Hong Kong and Asia, WKCD presents the best of the eastern and
western culture to visitors, from Chinese arts and antiquities to contemporary
visual culture, and offers visitors a holistic experience blending arts and
culture with retail, dining and entertainment.”
Hong Kong International Airport plays a pivotal role in
maintaining the city’s status as a leading international aviation hub. Airport
Authority Hong Kong executive director (airport operations) Vivian Cheung said:
“In addition to maintaining our aviation hub status, our strategy is to
transform Hong Kong International Airport from a city airport into an Airport
City, developing ourselves into a destination in itself for visitors. The
Airport City aims to attract global visitors through its wide range of
offerings in retail, dining, entertainment and leisure while providing a business
platform through its convention and exhibition facilities. In parallel, we are
further enhancing the airport’s sea and land connectivity with the
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, to facilitate a seamless journey
for the 70 million people in the region to visit the Airport City.”
The integration of culture, sports, and tourism is a key
development direction. Kai Tak Sports Park general director (commercial) James Irvine, said: “As one of the most
significant sports infrastructures in Hong Kong, Kai Tak Sports Park will add
vibrancy to the city’s dynamic tourism landscape with its world-class sports,
leisure and entertainment experiences. A first-of-its-kind destination set in
the city’s heart will bring the global community to Hong Kong.”
BALI, Indonesia, 9 May 2022: Emirates landed in Bali last week
for the first time since the suspension of flights in 2020.
Emirates flight EK398 landed at Denpasar International
Airport (DPS) at 2220 and was welcomed by a water cannon salute to mark the
airline’s return.
The operating cabin crew of the flight and the passengers were welcomed at the airport with the traditional ‘joged bumbung’ dance performance, reflecting Bali’s unique culture and rich heritage, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony in attendance of representatives from DPS Airport.
The resumption of
Emirates’ services to Bali comes with easing international travel restrictions
and ramping up of global operations as Covid-19 pandemic infections begin to
wane.
Emirates flight EK398 departs Dubai at 0910, landing in Bali
at 2129. The return flight EK399 departs Bali at 0005, arriving in Dubai at
0500. The airline is currently operating five-weekly services and will scale up
its operations to the island with a daily service starting from 1 July 2022.
Tickets can
be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates sales
offices, via travel agents, and online travel agents.
SINGAPORE, 9 May 2022: Star Alliance members United Airlines
and Singapore Airlines are expanding their codeshare agreement to give
travellers more convenient connections and better fare options for travel to
more cities in the US and Southeast Asia.
The deal gives passengers codeshare flight options to 19 new
destinations for business and leisure travellers. United’s customers can now
connect to nine new codeshare destinations in the SIA Group network. Of these,
seven points are in Southeast Asia. They are Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri
Begawan, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia, and
Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta and Surabaya in Indonesia. They may also connect to
Perth in Australia and Male in the Maldives with SIA.
SIA customers can now connect with United’s flights out of
Los Angeles to 10 new codeshare destinations in the US. They are Austin,
Baltimore, Boise, Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno, and
Sacramento. This complements the existing connections available on United’s
network from Houston to Atlanta, Austin, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Ft. Lauderdale,
Miami, New Orleans, Orlando, and Tampa.
SINGAPORE, 9 May 2022: Three additional
Princess Cruises ships are returning to service, welcoming guests back onboard
– Crown Princess, Island Princess and Royal Princess.
This milestone marks the return of 12
ships, or 80% of the fleet that will have resumed cruising since July 2021 for
the world’s leading international cruise line.
Island Princess departed Ft Lauderdale on 27 April on a Panama Canal cruise; Royal Princess sailed from Vancouver on 2 May for the popular “Voyage of the Glaciers” Alaska season, and Crown Princess departed Seattle on 7 May for a summer programme of Inside Passage Alaska cruises.
“We’re so excited to have three more
Princess MedallionClass ships return to service, and our shipboard teams are
ready to help our guests create a lifetime of vacation memories,” said
Princess Cruises president John Padgett. “It’s so gratifying to see tens
of thousands of guests enjoying their vacations with us each week and the
friendly and attentive service that is a Princess Cruises hallmark.”
Island Princess – Panama Canal sailing
Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the cruise line sailing to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, Island Princess departed on a 14-day Ocean-to-Ocean Panama Canal voyage from Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles on 27 April. She will return on a subsequent voyage from Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale on 11 May. Princess first sailed to the Panama Canal in 1967 aboard Princess Italia. Island Princess will then depart Ft. Lauderdale for Europe, sailing the various British Isles, Northern Europe (including Iceland and the Arctic Circle) and Mediterranean voyages.
Royal Princess – Alaska – Departed Vancouver on 2 May
Sailing on the cruise line’s top-rated
“Voyage of the Glaciers” itinerary, Royal Princess departs on back-to-back
northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver and Whittier (Anchorage).
Every sailing includes two days of glacier viewing featuring Glacier Bay
National Park, plus Hubbard Glacier (southbound) or College Fjord (northbound).
Port visits include Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. These cruises can also be
combined with one of the cruise line’s 20 cruise tour options featuring an
unforgettable land tour visiting the magnificent Denali National Park and
Princess Wilderness Lodges.
Crown Princess – Alaska – sailed from Seattle 7 May
Departing on Saturdays from Seattle, Crown
Princess offers 19 seven-day Inside Passage voyages to Alaska through to 10
September 2022. She will then move to Los Angeles for a season of California
Coast and Hawaii sailings.
Return to Service Schedule – All 15 Princess Ships
The cruise line’s fleet of 15 ships will
return to service by September 2022 to worldwide destinations, including
Alaska, Australia, the California Coast, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico
and the Panama Canal.
Cruise ships, return dates, and 2022 itineraries in chronological order
Majestic Princess Sailing since 25 July 2021 Alaska, California Coast, Mexico
Regal Princess Sailing since 31 July 2021 Caribbean, Europe
Sky Princess Sailing since 30 August 2021 Caribbean, Europe
Grand Princess Sailing since 25 September 2021 California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico
Emerald Princess Sailing since 15 October 2021 Panama Canal, Europe
Ruby Princess Sailing since 31 October 2021 California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal
Enchanted Princess – new ship The inaugural season began on 10 November 2021 Caribbean, Europe
Caribbean Princess Sailing since 28 November 2021 Caribbean, Panama Canal
Discovery Princess – new ship The inaugural season began on 27 March 2022 California Coast, Mexico, Alaska
Island Princess Sailing since 27 April 2022 Panama Canal, Europe
Royal Princess Sailing since 2 May 2022 Alaska
Crown Princess Sailing since 7 May 2022 Alaska
Coral Princess Returning 16 June 2022 Australia
Diamond Princess Returning 1 September 2022 California Coast, Mexico
Sapphire Princess Returning 24 September 2022 California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico
GENEVA, 9 May 2022: There are limited impacts on air travel
demand from the Ukraine war, while Omicron-related effects are mainly confined
to Asian domestic markets, according to International Air Transport
Association’s latest passenger data for March 2022*.
“With barriers to travel coming down in most places, we
are seeing the long-expected surge in pent-up demand finally being realized.
Unfortunately, we also see long delays at many airports with insufficient
resources to handle the growing numbers. This must be addressed urgently to
avoid frustrating consumer enthusiasm for air travel,” said IATA’s
director-general Willie Walsh.
● Total traffic in March 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) was up 76.0% compared to March 2021. Although that was lower than the 115.9% rise in February year-over-year demand, volumes in March were the closest to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, at 41% below. ● March 2022 domestic traffic was up 11.7% compared to the year-ago period, far below the 59.4% year-over-year improvement recorded in February. This is largely a result of the Omicron-related lockdowns in China. March domestic RPKs were down 23.2% versus March 2019. ● International RPKs rose 285.3% versus March 2021, exceeding the 259.2% gain experienced in February versus the year-earlier period. Compared to the prior month, most regions boosted their performance, led by carriers in Europe. March 2022, international RPKs were down 51.9% compared to the same month in 2019.
March 2022 (% year-on-year)
World share1
RPK
ASK
PLF (%-pt)2
PLF (level)3
Total Market
100.0%
76.0%
46.0%
12.7%
74.7%
Africa
1.9%
76.4%
46.8%
11.0%
65.7%
Asia Pacific
27.6%
-17.9%
-14.9%
-2.3%
64.2%
Europe
24.9%
246.9%
162.8%
17.9%
73.9%
Latin America
6.5%
119.8%
94.3%
9.4%
80.8%
Middle East
6.5%
221.1%
88.5%
29.6%
71.8%
North America
32.6%
96.5%
48.6%
20.5%
83.9%
1% of industry RPKs in 2021 2year-on-year change in load
factor 3Load Factor Level
International Passenger Markets ● European carriers continued to lead the recovery, with March traffic rising 425.4% versus March 2021, improved over the 384.6% increase in February 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. The impact of the war in Ukraine has been relatively limited outside of traffic to/from Russia and countries neighbouring the conflict. Capacity rose 224.5%, and load factor climbed 27.8 percentage points to 72.7%. ● Asia-Pacific airlines had a 197.1% rise in March traffic compared to March 2021, up over the 146.5% gain registered in February 2022 versus February 2021. While China and Japan remain restrictive to foreign visitors, other countries are becoming more relaxed, including South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand. Capacity rose 70.7%, and the load factor was up 24.1 percentage points to 56.6%, the lowest among regions. ● Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic rose 245.8% in March compared to March 2021, an improvement compared to the 218.2% increase in February 2022 versus the same month in 2021. March capacity rose 96.6% versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 31.1 percentage points to 72.1%. ● North American carriers experienced a 227.8% traffic rise in March versus the 2021 period, slightly down on the 237.3% rise in February 2022 over February 2021. Capacity rose 91.9%, and load factor climbed 31.2 percentage points to 75.4%. ● Latin American airlines’ March traffic rose 239.9% compared to the same month in 2021, little changed from the 241.9% increase in February 2022 compared to February 2021. The region benefitted from the end of bankruptcy procedures for some of the main carriers. March capacity rose 173.2% and the load factor increased 15.8 percentage points to 80.3%, which was the highest load factor among the regions for the 18th consecutive month. ● African airlines had a 91.8% rise in March RPKs versus a year ago, improved compared to the 70.8% year-over-year increase recorded in February 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. Air travel demand is challenged by low vaccination rates on the continent as well as impacts from rising inflation. March 2022 capacity was up 49.9%, and load factor climbed 14.1 percentage points to 64.5%.
*Note: IATA returned to year-on-year traffic comparisons, instead of comparisons with the 2019 period, unless otherwise noted. Owing to the low traffic base in 2021, some markets will show very high year-on-year growth rates, even if the size of these markets is still significantly smaller than they were in 2019.
SINGAPORE, 9 May 2022: The latest air ticketing data from
ForwardKeys reveals that Russian outbound tourism, already severely handicapped
by pandemic travel restrictions, has fallen even further because of Russia’s
military operations in Ukraine.
But affluent travellers are still flying, just not to
Europe.
Russian Outbound tickets fall
In the week before the outbreak of war (w/c 18 Feb),
outbound international air tickets from Russia stood at 42% of pre-pandemic
levels; but in the week immediately after the invasion (w/c 25 Feb), issued air
tickets fell to just 19%. Since then, flight bookings have sunk deeper still
and have been hovering at around 15%.
Due to war-related sanctions on civil aviation, Russians
cannot book flights to many of their favourite destinations in the West; they
are instead booking trips to Asia and the Middle East.
New alternative destinations for affluent Russians
An analysis of flight bookings by ForwardKeys made between
24 Feb, the start of the invasion, and 27 Apr, the latest data, reveals that
the top five destinations for travel between May and August, in order of
resilience, are Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the UAE.
Bookings to Sri Lanka are currently 85% ahead of
pre-pandemic levels, the Maldives 1% behind, Kyrgyzstan 11% behind, Turkey 36%
behind and the UAE, 49% behind.
“Something to note, though, is that Sri Lanka’s
position at the head of the list is not a true reflection of the island’s
attractiveness as a destination. It’s more about safety. Rather, it is a
consequence of terrorist bombings, which scared away visitors in 2019, the
pre-pandemic benchmark year,” says ForwardKeys VP of Insights at Olivier
Ponti.
A deeper analysis of the recently issued tickets to Turkey
and the UAE suggests that a substantial proportion are affluent Russians going
on holiday. Premium cabin travel is making a comeback. The number of seats sold
in premium cabins has tripled compared to 2019.
Moreover, the average trip duration for premium travellers
is now 12 nights in Turkey and seven nights in the UAE.
Changes to
schedules and flight paths
Changes to flight schedules following Russian
hostilities in Ukraine have been as follows:
24 Feb: Air
space in southern Russia was closed, and Aeroflot was banned from flying to the
UK
25 Feb: Russia
banned British airlines from its airspace
27 Feb: The EU
closed its airspace to Russian planes
1 Mar: The US
banned Russian flights from entering its airspace
5 Mar: Russian
airlines (Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, Azur Air and Nordwind Airlines and others)
suspended international flights
25 Mar:
Rosaviatsiya, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, extended a ban on flight
operations at 11 airports in southern and central parts of Russia
25 Mar: Vietnam
Airlines suspended regular flights to Russia
14 Apr:
AirBaltic stopped flights to Russia – but will return to Ukraine ASAP
22 Apr:
EgyptAir resumed daily direct flights between Cairo and Moscow. Interesting to
observe ahead of the popular Red Sea summer season.
“The war with Ukraine, and the consequent sanctions on
flying, have effectively caused Russia’s outbound tourism market to dry up.
Those people who are still flying comprise an elite, affluent niche who are
forced to holiday in Asia and the Middle East rather than in Europe. Let’s see
how this plays out over the summer season,” concludes Ponti.
MANILA, 5 May 2022: Cebu Pacific has upgraded flights to Legazpi’s Bicol International Airport (BIA) on 1 May, replacing an ATR with a 180-seat A320 jet to boost seat capacity in time for the summer peak travel period.
CEB flight 5J 321 departed Manila 0340 and landed at Bicol
International Airport at 0439 on 1 May. A water cannon salute welcomed the
A320.
“Since the new airport opened in October last year, we have been operating our 78-seat ATR or turbo propeller-type aircraft,” said Cebu Pacific chief commercial officer Xander Lao. The addition of jet flights will enable CEB to serve more passengers with our Airbus fleet while continuously contributing to tourism and economic growth of the Bicol region.”
CEB currently flies five times daily on the Manila – Legazpi
– Manila route. It also operates four flights weekly between Cebu and Legazpi,
every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Cebu Pacific’s domestic network in the Philippines covers 34
destinations, on top of its 14 international destinations with a 76-strong
fleet, including two dedicated ATR freighters.
